Online Supplement to Museum Anthropology, the Journal of the Council for Museum Anthropology, a section of the American Anthropological Association

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

H.R. 725: Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments

The following summary was written by the Congressional Research Service, a well-respected nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress.

1/19/2010--Passed House amended. Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act of 2010 - Amends the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 to expand the authority of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board to bring criminal and civil actions for offenses under such Act involving the sale of misrepresented Indian-produced goods or products. Authorizes: (1) any federal law enforcement officer to conduct an investigation of an alleged violation of this Act occurring within the jurisdiction of the United States; and (2) the Board to refer an alleged violation to any such officer (currently, only to the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]) for investigation. Permits such an officer to investigate an alleged violation regardless of whether such officer receives such a referral from the Board. Requires the findings of any investigation of an alleged violation to be submitted to a federal or state prosecuting authority or the Board. Authorizes the Board, upon receiving the findings of such an investigation, to: (1) recommend to the Attorney General that criminal proceedings be initiated (current law); (2) provide such support to the Attorney General relating to the criminal proceedings as the Attorney General determines to be appropriate; or (3) recommend, in lieu of or in addition to any such criminal proceeding, that the Attorney General initiate a civil action. Allows the Attorney General, an Indian tribe, an Indian, or an Indian arts and crafts organization to initiate a civil action under this Act. Amends the federal criminal code to revise penalties for the sale of misrepresented Indian-produced goods and products.

No comments:

Do you teach a course in Museum Anthropology?In an effort to promote discussion and share resources about teaching and pedagogy in our field, we invite you to email us your syllabus so that we can post reading resources and themes for teaching Museum Anthropology to our blog. Please send your syllabi or reading lists to mua4web@gmail.com.Thank you!

Follow us by Email!

Museum Anthropology Editors

Lea McChesney

Curator of Ethnology, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico